Best Mystery Anime of 1996

Seventeen-year-old high school detective Kudo Shinichi is known to everyone as the "Modern Sherlock Holmes." One night, following a date with Ran, his childhood sweetheart, he witnesses an illegal trade in progress. Caught completely off guard, he is knocked unconscious and forced to take a drug intended to kill him. Instead, he wakes up to discover his body has shrunk to that of a seven-year-old. To hunt down the men responsible, Shinichi hides his true identity and moves in with Ran, whose father happens to be a hopeless detective. From that point on, a stream of murders and mysteries arises that Shinichi must solve. The Keisatsu Gakkou-hen (Wild Police Story) arc is included in episodes 1029, 1038, 1042, and 1061. Episodes 11, 52, 76, 118, 162, 184, 208, 342, 356, 449, 452, 487, 488, 489, 490, 515, 516, 521, 522, 651, 734, 804, 805, 927, 928, and 1187 aired with a runtime of about 50 minutes instead of the standard 25. Episodes 96, 129, 174, 219, 263, 304, 383, and 479 aired with a runtime of about 90 minutes. Episodes 345 and 425 aired with a runtime of about 115 minutes.

The fate of the universe hinges on a single decision by Kamui Shirou, who must choose to destroy either the Dragons of Earth or the Dragons of Heaven—two opposing armies. His choice alone will decide whether humanity should be wiped out to bring about a purified universe or safeguarded to preserve civilization. Two oracles, the sisters Hinoto and Kanoe, foresee the arrival of the Dragons and each predicts a different outcome. They each gather allies and resources to ensure their own vision of the future comes to pass. Yet neither sister realizes that one man wields power even greater than the Dragons, and that he will ultimately decide the planet's fate. Which sister's prophecy will come true, and what role does Kamui play in their conflict? The answer will shape the destiny of all humanity.

In the year 2046, humanity is pulling away from robots, and trust in them is steadily eroding. Life grows increasingly dangerous for the beings known as Seconds—the most recent line of robots, at least as far as the public is aware. This is the world Detective Ross Sylibus lives in. After his previous partner was killed by a robot, Sylibus requested a transfer to Mars. But the moment he arrives, he is thrust into a murder case: a country singer on his flight was killed. As he steps off the plane and watches the scene unfold, he meets his new partner, Armitage, a female cop with a sharp attitude. More women turn up dead, and the investigation soon uncovers a hidden truth—there is another line of robots known as Thirds. One by one, Thirds go missing, and a serial killer intent on exterminating every Third runs loose. In her pursuit of the murderer, Armitage reveals a secret of her own: she is a Third.

Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon board a mini-helicopter and fly toward the mysterious Drifting Island, drawn by rumors of a treasure hidden somewhere on it. As they explore the island, the trio comes up against the lethal Nanomachine, the island's security system. Their presence trips an alarm, bringing the Nanomachine to life. The key to unraveling the island's mystery lies in the small nation of Zufu, once a prosperous country now ruled by the ruthless, knife-collecting General Headhunter. Fujiko does her usual probing, hacking into General Headhunter's computer in hopes of uncovering vital information. Zenigata receives a video message from Lupin, in which Lupin declares his desire for the priceless treasure. Oleander, a fiery blond officer with hidden secrets of her own, steps in to aid Zenigata. Armed with the intel they've gathered, Lupin, Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko return to Drifting Island—but this time, General Headhunter is following them.

James McGuire's ambition is to become president of Guinam and deliver his people from the military rulers who have held power for so long. But his past is starting to catch up with him, threatening both his political hopes and the safety of the daughter he lost long ago. To protect her, he hires the City Hunter, Ryo Saeba, and his partner Kaori to guard Anna, a Secret Service agent who has been assigned to protect the presidential hopeful herself.

A rogue scientist in San Francisco has devised a method to create a new type of creature known as Neo-Aragami, removing the need for Susanoo's energy. When these monsters begin wreaking havoc across California, the U.S. government seeks assistance from the former members of the Terrestrial Administration Center (TAC).

Kindaichi, Miyuki, and Inspector Kenmochi return to the Opera House for a special anniversary event, where rehearsals for a production of The Phantom of the Opera are underway. The celebration turns sinister when several cast members are brutally murdered by the phantom. Kindaichi is charged with solving the mystery behind these gruesome killings at the opera house.

This is a re-telling of the first series. One episode is seen from Momiji's perspective, and the other is seen from Kusanagi's perspective.

An omnibus OVA featuring three elementary school students—Manabu, Ryota, and Mina—as they confront the strange occurrences that happen at their school. The OVA is divided into two 15-minute segments: "Poisonous spiders at school" and "Hanako-san's hand". This OVA is part of the "Hontoni Atta Kowai Hanashi" series, which itself originates from the "Hontoni Atta Gakou Kaidan" series published by Asahi Sonorama.